Ember in the Ash
by BooksAndBook
Summary: Alanna prepares for her debut at court. How will people react to a slightly different kind of lady? Another Alanna at the convent story, hopefully with a different take.
1. Chapter 1

She smoothly stood from her seat in Sister Magdalene's office, a practiced gesture that had taken years to accomplish. Though she tried to maintain her composure, she struggled against the smile that fought to overtake her face. She turned to thank the other woman.

"Sister, you have been so gracious to give me this opportunity. I offer my thanks for the instruction offered to me here."

The other woman dismissed her with a thin smile and a nod of the head. As Alanna stepped through the threshold she couldn't contain her happiness. A broad grin flashed onto her face, and her eyes sparkled. She was going to court this season! Ever since she had come to the convent, it had been all she had hoped to be able to do. She hadn't come willingly, but she knew better than to make too many waves. Alanna knew that the most eligible young women were presented to court not only when they were of age but also deemed of proper caliber. If she wasn't going to be a knight like she had always dreamed, then she would be the best lady that the convent had turned out.

She smiled when she thought back to her arrival. Oh, she had rebelled in secret ways, of course. Her own spirit couldn't allow her to be so easily molded like the rest of the girls. But she had diligently turned herself towards this new education. Among the girls at the convent, she was one drawn to horses more than most. She spent years riding and chafing at the restraint of her side saddle before she gained the courage to ride properly when no one was watching. She had stumbled in her dancing until she had stolen a book on swordwork from the library. The footwork had finally made sense to her and she doubled down, devoting almost every spare minute to her task until she was always aware of her movements. She practiced drills, learning attacks and parries with a fire poker under the cover of night.

Alanna wrote so often to Thom that her penmanship had eventually turned into the elegant hand of a lady, hungry for details of palace life. She tried her best to hide some of her curiosity from Thom, and in an attempt to find something to entice him the same way, had finally started to attend classes to be educated in her Gift. After that, information had come in droves. She tried her best to copy the page's training regimens, sneaking out at night in her older riding clothes to run laps around the convent grounds and using the heavy etiquette books as weights to try to add some muscle to her arms. But whatever she did was done carefully, that the sisters might not notice anything amiss.

Indeed, instead of noticing something wrong, Alanna found herself praised by them. The riding was often ignored, but her dancing skills were lauded. It was good that she had the stamina to dance for an entire ball while wearing a corset if it meant that she might ensnare a court man and then send her own daughter here. No one stopped to wonder why she was so interested in stories of history and knights because they assumed that, as many of the girls here were, she simply wanted to marry a knight of the realm. An honorable pursuit, really.

Several times she had even worked up the nerve to sneak down to the nearest town. While the girls at the convent were allowed down there just before Midwinter so that they may buy trinkets and gifts for family and friends, it was only on specially organized (and chaperoned!) trips. In a plain dress, she had hoped her bright hair wouldn't stand out overly much. Unfortunately it marked her as different but gave her the first thrill she had experienced since coming to the convent when another woman tried to snag her change purse from its hiding place. The two of them had stared at each other when Alanna pulled out a knife from among her skirts, but after a beat they both started laughing. For some reason Alanna felt that she could trust this stranger, and the two became… well, friends would be the wrong word for it. However, she really appreciated the knowledge she had gleaned from Lucy on her rare visits to town. She learned how to actually use her knife, how to do laundry and mend her own dresses. The raw skin on her hands from scrubbing had been hard to explain away, but it was worth it to feel self-sufficient and to actually understand how the world truly worked. The convent was such a sheltered place, and Alanna ached to escape it for the bustling city of Corinth.

And of course there was Thom. She hadn't seen him since they were both young, about to leave for the castle and the convent. When she had glibly suggested they switch places (after all, wasn't she the one who wanted to become a knight?), he had surprised her with his vehement denial. She had been deeply hurt, surprised and thinking that she knew her twin better. In a fit of petty retribution she didn't talk to him after that, and by the time she regretted her actions it was far too late to simply speak to him. The letters had helped both of them, because it took Thom quite a while to find his place at the palace. The other boys had dismissed him because he was small, weak, and altogether too interested in magic for their interests. Even still she wasn't sure he was telling her the whole truth. It seemed like he got along just fine with everyone but didn't forge any deeper friendships. Rather like her, she thought wryly. She couldn't wait to finally talk to her twin again.

She heard excited chattering down the hall and hastened her footsteps. Just because she hadn't formed close bonds at the convent didn't mean that there were some girls she preferred over others, and it was practically expected of her to gossip with the others about going to court. As long as Delia stayed out of her way…

Alanna breathed a sigh of relief when she saw it was only Juliette and Lucille coming down the hallway. The two girls were nice enough, and extra polite once they realized she had a source of information on the eligible pages, squires, and knights at the castle. A conversation with the two of them would, most importantly, make sure they were at good terms going into this. She didn't want to get married now, but she definitely didn't want to be a pariah.

Not needed to feign excitement, Alanna chirped, "I can only assume you two are going to court also?" The other girls nodded excitedly, and Alanna moved to stroll alongside them. Juliette struck up a conversation about the latest Corus fashions.

"I was shocked to hear it, but did you know that green is started to go out of style. What a shame! I just bought the most wonderful green dress too, and the silk certainly wasn't inexpensive…"

Alanna tuned out the chattering to the best of her ability, smiling and nodding at the right times, half-heartedly agreeing that they should be allowed to town to shop for dresses for their debut. It took the girls longer than she expected to remember just how much she knew about what palace life was like.

"Oh, Alanna, your brother. He's at the palace, right? Well, you must know about some of the men there?" piped Lucille, clearly expecting an answer.

"Yes, Thom is training to become a knight. He writes me often about his friends. Now, I'm sure you know that Prince Jonathan is our age. Well, it turns out that…"

By the time that Alanna made it back to her room, she was worn out. It was a long conversation and she had a lot to think about. It seemed that her debut outfit was more important than she had thought, and not being one for frilly things, she hadn't a dress appropriate for the occasion. She resigned herself to shopping in Corus. Maybe it would be slightly less tedious of a process in a new place?

And who would escort her at her introduction. She had assumed Thom, but she ought to check about that. Oh, she had so much to tell him! Alanna hurried to get out her stationery set.

 _Dearest brother,_

 _Guess who is coming to Corus soon? I apparently am now ready for my formal debut in a fortnight, and I was wondering if you would be kind enough to escort me?_

Alanna rolled her wrist in a most unladylike manner, and set to work writing a few more requests.


	2. Chapter 2

Thom laughed at the whispers that had been filling the halls the past few days. Yes, there were ladies coming to court, as they did every year. Young ladies. Attractive ones, too. But he was already sick of the gossip- honestly, though they were squires, you couldn't tell them from a group of said court ladies based on the chatter. What was the difference this year? Thom wryly smiled; he knew the answer to his own question. The court ladies were their age this time around (not that this had kept any of the boys from harboring crushes on older girls in the past), and the boys themselves were in the prime of their hormone-induced idiocy in which they chased after any eligible maiden within the palace. He'd like to exempt himself from this, but though he controlled himself better…

Shaking himself from those thoughts, he picked up his pace as he approached his rooms. He, unlike others, had a legitimate and less self-serving reason to be so interest in this year's crop of debutantes, as his own sister was among them. And seeing as her arrival was slated for noon of the same day, he had best prepare himself. Mainly for Alanna, but also for the reactions of the other boys.

Thom hadn't tried to keep the details of his family and home life secret; it had just sort of happened. He didn't feel a need to blab about his pedigree (even though his family was in the Book of Gold) but also wasn't one to be so attached to his peers so as to spill to them all his worries and feelings, his whole life story. Thom found it easier to let his friends talk about themselves, so he really wasn't sure if anyone knew he had a sister. Come to think of it, he couldn't remember speaking of him to any of the other pages. He prepared himself for headaches to come.

Hastily shedding his clothes for a cleaner and nicer set, Thom dressed himself and set out for the front gates. The buzz reminded him why he hadn't spoken of Alanna. If the other boys had known he had an in in the convent as it were, he would never be left alone. And Thom much preferred his solitude and books. No, it was much better that he keep to himself, though he knew it wouldn't be possible after today. Based on what his sister had written him, she planned to make an entrance, and Thom would oblige.

By the time he had found his way to the gate where carriages arrived, the sun was high in the sky. Thankfully he didn't have to wait very long. The bell of the chapel hadn't yet tolled one when he saw the signature grey carriage of the convent pull into the grounds. By now there was quite the welcoming committee present; some older court ladies who would act as guides for those girls unfortunate enough not to find their own escort, a few assorted servants, and Duke Baird was present to offer an official welcome to the palace. As always there was present as many young men as could shirk their duties. Thom didn't stand among them, receiving a few curious looks from some of them as well since he had never been known hang about for a glimpse at the ladies.

The carriage doors opened, but knowing his sister, he would have to wait until the end. His prediction was proved correct when a thin brunette was helped down by a footman- she was pretty, yes, but certainly looked nothing like Alanna. A blonde in a boldly red dress followed her. Another brunette, this time shorter. A girl with very dark hair and contrastingly pale skin. Just how many people could they fit into a carriage?

As Thom's patience began to wear out, he finally saw a flash of red hair descend from the carriage. The activity in front of the carriage seemed to stop, and when Thom made eye contact with his sister, he could see why. She was wearing a purple dress that went well with her eyes, and Thom supposed it was a nice dress, though he wasn't really a judge of such things. What made even him stare for a moment was the intensity in her eyes. He could swear they almost shone with her Gift. With that thought he was reminded of his need to talk with Alanna about what she had been learning at the convent, and he rushed to escort her.

"Alanna!," he greeted brightly, trying to mask his excitement. It had been years.

"Thom," she returned no less amicably. Both sensed the need for a quiet area for a long-anticipated reunion.

" I know that the gardens are quite lovely this time of day," Thom suggested, extending his arm in a playful manner, and the pair made their way into the palace proper. He could hear his name rise on the crest of the wave of gossip and knew that he wouldn't hear the end of this for a long while. As they walked into the ornately carved entryway, he chanced a glance backwards. He could almost see people connecting the dots. Matching heads of red hair. Same (very unique) purple eyes. A sudden appearance by the notoriously aloof Thom of Trebond? He sensed that this would be all over the castle by dinnertime.

He glanced at Alanna before hastening his footsteps. The two sped through the hallways. Thom himself was nearly out of breath by the time he reached the gardens, though Alanna was breathing perfectly normally. She smirked at him as they sat down on a bench.

Thom looked at his sister, suddenly unsure of how to begin. It had been so long since he had talked to her, and now all he could do was try to reconcile this Alanna with the girl he had left behind so many years agos. He cleared his throat before beginning.

"Well, this is certainly very different than writing, isn't it?"


	3. Chapter 3

Alanna did her best to keep from gawking at the display of wealth in the palace. As they neared the gardens she had already seen three paintings by master artists and a tapestry that she suspected was older that the fife of Trebond. She allowed Thom to tow her down the hallways until they arrived at a small archway that lead outside. They stopped at a stone bench underneath a willow tree. Alanna smoothed her skirts before delicately perching on the cold surface.

She'd had quite the adventure obtaining the dress as well. The nun that had been chosen to ride with them had had no chance when she turned on the charm and used her best concerned look. After all, she couldn't turn up to the palace in a wrinkled dress! Truly, Alanna put her dresses through a lot of wear and tear. Even her nicest ones weren't in great condition. The carriage was ahead of schedule, and when it finally stopped, Alanna abandoned her ladylike behavior and escaped the carriage before she could be helped out, simply relishing her first taste of freedom in years. Saying a polite goodbye to the bewildered sister, she slipped into the streets of Corus. Alanna relished it all: the sunlight, the harsh accents, even the foul smells. It was all so refreshingly different and new. She nearly ran through the streets in excitement.

Some time had passed where she simply wandered before stumbling upon a small tailoring shop. She was greeted by a timid girl, and upon browsing she had seen it. The dress. Her dress, Alanna really wasn't one for pretty things, or little knick-knacks. If she dared to say it though, this dress made her excited about shopping. She hadn't ever seen something so feminine that she actually felt like wearing, but even upon hearing the price she knew she was still going to buy it. Alanna had to have it. Carefully slipping the dress into a bag, she started back to the carriage. Of course, with her luck, it was never so easy. A small boy, poorly dressed and dirty, decided that such an elegant and richly dressed lady would be a prime target, and he tried to snake his hand into her bag to snag her coin purse.

Or, he would have tried to do so if his hand had made it that far. With catlike reflexes, Alanna snatched the offending hand and shoved it in it's owner's pockets. She gave the boy a small shake of her head. She didn't have time to put up with this today.

She caught a glimpse of a roguish grin out of the corner of her eye, but when she turned almost imperceptibly for a better look, the mysterious figure was gone.

The nun didn't have the heart to chastise her after Alanna's over-the-top apology. Inside the carriage she managed to wiggle her way into the dress, which all of the other girls looked at jealously. They would have been horrified to learn that she hadn't gotten it from the main shopping plaza, but Alanna was just glad that she wouldn't be wearing something similar to anything else. After all, she wanted the biggest impact possible from her appearance.

She was taken back to the present when Thom shifted awkwardly.

"Well, this is certainly different than writing, isn't it?" he quipped. Alanna stared at him for a moment before throwing her arms around his neck.

"I missed you," she whispered quietly in his ear.

The twins took a moment to simply enjoy the company of the other. Alanna really had missed him, for all they had written to each other. Letters couldn't replace talking face to face.

Alanna decided to break the peaceful silence.

"How's palace life been treating you, Thom?" she asked with a smile on her face.

"It's been very good to me. I don't really excell at the physical part of it, but the strategy and history are going well," he replied. "And of course, there are my friends, Gary and Raoul and Jon…"

Thom trailed off, going pale before quickly rising from the bench as if to bolt. Alanna reached up for his arm and tugged him back down. Just where did he think he was going?

"My friends are going to kill me! I promised them I'd introduce you first thing…" Thom groaned. She smirked at him.

"We can talk on our way to my rooms. I'm happy to meet them once I get settled, but we've got some catching up to do."

The redheaded pair set out through the hallways, not quite able to tune out the buzz that followed in their wake. Thom opened the door to her rooms with an exaggerated gesture and a spark dancing in his eyes. Alanna pulled him in after her, much to his shock. She gave him a flat look. Sure, men weren't supposed to enter the rooms of the court ladies, but she hardly thought Thom counted. He was her brother, he needn't be so shocked.

Thom's eyes nearly popped out of his head when she opened her trunk and started to hang up some of her dresses to reveal a sword hiding underneath all of the skirts. Alanna laughed and went over to his side, forcibly shutting his mouth. He really should expect something like that from her at this point.

Having rushed through her unpacking, but now assured that at least she would be wearing a wrinkle-free dress to dinner tonight, Alanna grabbed Thom's arm and marched him out of her room. Once in the hallway she allowed him to lead again, but she got a sense of satisfaction each time Thom looked at her out of the corner of his eye.

Thom led her swiftly to the training wing. The small pages openly stared at her (a girl? here?), and she nearly laughed at the others' poor attempts to hide their looks. He pulled her through a large and ornate door.

Alanna was momentarily distracted by the sheer amount of books in this library, and she grew more interested as she glanced at the titles. She almost couldn't fathom this many books on swordplay and battle tactics in one place! Thom was relentless in his task though, and forced her away from the shelves and towards a small group of boys in the back of the room.

They all scrambled to their feet as she approached, giving Thom reproving glares. She looked to Thom for support, but he was too busy cowering under the assault. Unimpressed with her brother, she turned to the group.

"I'm Alanna of Trebond, Thom's sister, though I suppose you already knew that. Thom was going to introduce me to you gentleman. Isn't that right, Thom?"

Thom scrambled to follow Alanna's instructions.

"Gentleman, my sister Lady Alanna. Alanna, Sir Gareth of Naxen, Sir Raoul of Goldenlake, and our very own Prince Jonathan."


End file.
